Corn-popper.



. DANISON.

CORN POPPBR.

APPLIGATION FILED 1330.26, 1911.

L'AQQ@ Patented July 8, 1913.

ARTHUR DANISON, F BLUE EARTH, MINNESOTA.

conn-Porras.

Application led'ecember 26, 1911. I Serial No. 667,987.

Specification of Letters Patent.v

raten-tea .niify e, rais.

To all whom t may concern:

lBe it known that I, ARTHUR DANisoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at 1 Blue Earth,in the county of Faribault and State ofMinnesota, have invented a certain new and useful Corn-Popper, of whichthe y following is a specication.

My invention relates to that class of co-rn poppers in which a rotaryagitator is provided in a corn popping pan for the purpose of stirringthe corn and preventing it from adhering to the pan and becomingscorched.

My object is to provide a machine of this class in which the stirringmechanism and the pan may all be firmlyl and securely supported by anupright tube resting on the bottom of the machine frame in order toYprovide a strong and durable support for these parts without having themattached to the glass inclosed:superstructure on top of the frame.

My object is to provide a device of this kind of simple, durable andinexpensive construction in which the stirrer and the cover for the panare both supported from above the pan and so arranged that they may bequickly and easily jointly swung upwardly and outwardly to position awayfrom the pan and when so moved the stirring mechanism will be thrown outof gear automatically and will be automatically placed in gear whenreturned to normal position ovei the pan.

My invention consists iii certain details, in the construction,larrangement and coinbination of t-he various parts of the device,whereby the objects contem lated are attained, as hereinafter more ullset forth, pointed out in my claims and il ustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a sectional view of a corn popping machine having myimprovement applied thereto; the dotted lines in said {igure show thestirrer and the pan cover in their elevated positions. Fig. 2 shows anenlarged, detail, sectional view of the stirring supporting andoperating mechanism, the stirrer being shown in its elevated andinoperative position, and Fig. 3 shows a side view of the stirrersupporting arm at the point where it is jointed, the hinged portionbeing shown in open position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, l have used the referencenumeral 10 to indicate the main frame of .a corn popping '55.

.machine of ordinary construction, and 10a the glass inclosedsuperstructure on top of the main frame. Supported within the frame'is agasolene burner 11. .Themachine is also provided with a power shaft 12which may be operated `by a spring motor or in any ordinary manner. Onthe power shaft is a beveled pinion 13. The parts. just j described areofthe ordinary construction and of themselves form no part of my presentinvention. i

Arranged on the main frame 10 is a tubular standard 14 mounted in aIbase 15.

.Within this vstandard is.a rotary shaft 16 having a beveled pinion 17`at its lower end 70 to mesh with the pinion 13. This tubular standardserves to support the circular rim 18 which is adjustably fixed to the'standard by means of a bracket 19. This rim is designed to detachablysupport a pan 20 hav- 75 ing a handle 21, said pan being in positiondirectly over the gasolene burner 11. At the top of the tubular standard14 is a two-part gear case comprising a lower member 22 fixed to the topof the tubular standard 14 80 and having its sides inclined downwardlyand forwardly toward the `corn popping pan. These side edges arepreferably provided, as shown in Fig. 3, with grooves 23.

The lower forward edge of the part 22 is 85 against the side edges ofthe part 22 and 90 they are provided with rounded ribs 26 to t into thegrooves 23. The forward edge of the member 25 is also provided with ribs27 to enter the notches 24. On top of the shaft. 16 is a beveled gear.wheel 28 within 95 r the gear case member 22 vand arranged within thegear case memben 25 is a beveled gear wheel 29. These parts are soarranged that when the gear case member 25 is in its closed position, asshown in Fig. 1,

the beveled gear wheels 28 and 29 are in mesh with eachother and theribs and grooves on said parts will be in coacting positions .to therebypreventlateral movenipnt of the upper gear case member' relative 105 tothe lower one. 'However when the 'upper gear case member is raised toposition as shown in Fig.` 2, the gear wheels will be out of mesh.Formed integral with the upper member 25 of the gear case is a tubulararm 30 in which is rotatably mounted a shaft 31 which has the beveledpinion 29 fixed to one end and another beveled pinion 32 fixed to itsother end. Surrounding the beveled pinion 32 is a gear case 33 andmounted therein is a shaft 34 at right angles to the shaft 31 andprovided with a beveled pinion 35 in mesh with the beveled pinion 32.Fixed to the end of the shaft 34 is a corn popper stirrer 36 andslidingly mounted on the shaft 34 is a-pan cover 37.

Attention is directed to the extreme simplicity of my improved deviceand to the fact that the entire stirring mechanism and the pan itselfare all supported upon a single standard. All of the gear wheels areincased and protected and a device is provided of extreme strength andrigidity. The cover 37 is arranged to freely slide up and down so thatif the corn within the pan increases in bulk it can readily and easilyraise the cover.

The power shaft- 12 may be operated continuously during the operation ofpopping corn. Any time that the operator desires to inspect the interiorof the pan he simply grasps the arm 30 or the gear case 33 at its endand elevates it and moves it rearwardly, whereupon it will rest againstthe back of the frame 10, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. As Soon asthe stirrer is elevatedto a point above the pan the gear wheels `29 and28 will be thrown out of mesh so that the stirrer will remaininoperative. When in this position the stirrerA and the cover are widelyse arated from the pan and there is absolutelyr no obstruction above thetop of the pan that would interfere with the removal of the pan and itscontents or with access. tothe interior of the pan in any way. Thenlwhen the arm 30 is returned it will be stopped in proper position andrigidly heldrin said position and as soon as the stirrer. enters the anthe gear wheels 29 and 28 will be immediately thrown into mesh andthestirrer will start its movement. It is to be noted that the pan 'itselfis to be entirely free from all attachments so that it ma -be readilyand easily removed o r repla ed and may be easily cleaned, and may bereadily and easily adjusted vertically upon the standard 11 so that itmaybe spaced the proper distance apart from the gasolene burner.

In a device of this kind it is very desirable that the heavy pan and thestirrer operating mechanism be supported upon the main frame and notupon the glass inclosed superstructure above the mainframe, it beingunderstood that machines of this class are usually providediwith wheelsand are moved about from place to place and if the Weight. fof the panand stirring mechanism isl to be supported on the superstructure thesame must be made correspondingly heavy and expensive, whereas, with myimprovement it is only necessary to have a strong and rigid base frameas all of these parts shaft rotatably mounted in said'secondI gear casemember, abeveled pinion thereon, designed to mesh with said first pinionin one position of the movement of said last named shaft at a pointbelow the hinge point thereof, so that when said second shaft iselevated, the pinions are thrown out of gear.

2. In a device of the class described, an

upright tubular bearing, a shaft rotatably mounted therein, a beveledpinion on the upper end of said shaft, a 'gear case member on saidtubular bearing, a second gear case member hinged to the upper ledge ofsaid first member, a shaft rotatably mounted in said second gear casemember at a point spaced away from the hinge point thereof, a beveledpinion on said second shaft, designed in one position of the movement ofsaid second shaft to mesh with said first pinion, at a point below thelevel of said hinge point, and in another position of such movement tobe out of mesh with said first pinion, said gear case membershavingportions designed to engage each other and thereby limit the downwardmovement of said second shaft.V

3. Inv a device of the class described, the combination of a tubularupright standard, a shaft rotatably mounted therein, a bcveled pinion ontop of the shaft, an arm hingedto said standard, a shaft in said arm, abeveled pinion on the latter shaft capable of meshing with the-firstmentioned pinion, a stirrershaft mounted in the other end of said arm,and means for operatively connecting it with the second mentioned shaft,said parts being so arranged that the arm containing the strrer shaftmay be elevated and the gear Wheels between the first and second shaftsmay be separated.

4. In 'a device of the class. described, an upright tubular bearing, ashaft rotatably mounted therein, a beveled pinion on the upper'end ofsaid shaft, a gear case member on said tubular bearing, a second gearcase member hinged to said first member, a shaft rotatably mounted insaid second gear case member, a beveled pinion thereon, designed to mesh,with said first pinion in one position of the movement of said lastnamed shaft at a point below the hinge point theremamas of, so that whensaid second shaft is elevated, the pinions are thrown out of gear, andastirrer shaft operatively connected with said second ,described shaftand designed'in one position of the movement of said second shaft tostand in vertical position.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pan, anupright at the side of the pan extended to a point above it, an

arm, means for hinging said arm to the upright to permit said arm toswing in a vertical plane and 'in one position of its movement to extendacross the pan, a stirrer 315 shaft carried by said arm, a stirrerthereon designed to enter. the pan, and operating means carried by theuprightand arm for actuating'the stirrer shaft, said meansincludinggearing devices between the upright 3g and the arm, theadjacent gearing devices on the upright and the arm, being carried at`such points thereon that they 'are discon' nected when the said arm iselevated,

6. vIn a device of the class described, the

combination of a standard, a two-part gear case at the top of .thestandard, said gearL case vbeing divided along a downwardly inclinedline, and said members being hinged together at their upper edges, ashaft within the upright standard, a gear thereon within the gear case,an arm fixed in position relative tothe upper member of the gear case,a`

shaft in said arm, a gear wheel onsaid shaft within the gear case andcapable of a5 meshing with the. other gear wheel in the gear case, anddesigned to be moved out of mesh with the other gear wheel when said.uppengear case member is moved upwardly on its hinge point, a stirrershaft` carried ne 'by the arm and operativelyconnected with the shaft inthe arm. l

7. ln ,a device of the class described, the

combination of a stationary pan, an upright at the side of' thepanextended to a point a5 above it, an arm hingedte the upright andextended across the pan, a stirrer. shaft carried by said arm, a stirrerthereon designed to enter the pan, and operating means car- A -ried bythe upright and arm for actuating 5a the stirrer shaft, said meansincluding gearjing devices between-the upright and the arm, whichgearing devices are disconnected when the sald arm is elevated. L

8. In a device of the class described, the

au combination of a standard, a two-part gear case at v'the top of thestandard, sai/d gear case being divided along a downwardly inclinedline, and said members beinhinged together at their upper edges, a shawithin e0 the upright standard, a gear thereon within the g'ear case, anarm xed in position relavtive to the upper member of the gear case, ashaft `in' said arm, a gear wheelon said vshaftwithin the gear case andcapable of meshing with' the other gear4 wheel 1n the :combination of atubular upright, a supported by said upright, a shaft extended throughsaid upright, a gear case member i gear case, a stirrer shaft carried bythe arm and operatively connected with the shaft in the arm, said parts`being so arranged as to disconnect said gear wheel when the arm iselevated.

9. The combination -with a pan, of a tubular upright at the side of thepan extended to a point above it, a gear case member at its top having fits sides extended downwardly and toward the center of the pan, a secondgear case member hinged to the first at its 'upper corner and having itssides shaped to fit the sides of the first mentioned gear case member, atubular arm fixed in Aposition relative to the second gear case member,a stirrer shaft at the outer end of said arm, a shaft within the arm, ashaft within the upright standard, and gear 'wheels on the"tw'o lattershafts within said gear case in mesh with each other when the arm is ina substantially horizontal posiwhen the arm is in an elevated posit-ion.

10. In a device of the class described, the l on said shafts in meshwith each other when the arm is in a substantially, horizontal positionand out of mesh with each other when the arm is elevated, a stirrershaft mounted in the gear case at the vouter end of the arm, a stirrerthereon, and beveled gear wheels within the gear case on the outer endof the arm in mesh with each other and fixed toI thestirrershaft and theshaft within the `arm, for the purposes stated. e,

11. In a device of the class described, the pan at the top of theupright, a vsecond gear case member hinged to the first and capable ofswinging upwardly Vin a direction awa soy tion and out of .engagementwith each other r from the pan, a tubular arm fixed in position relativeto the second gear case member, a gear-case formedon the outer end ofsaid arm 'in position above the lcenter of the pan, a shaft in said arm,beveled gear vwheels on saidgshafts in mesh with each other when the"armis in a substantiallyhorizontal position andout of mesh with each otherwhen the` arm is elevated, a stlrrer shaft mounted in Jthe gear case atthe"` outer 'end ofthe arm, a. stirrer thereomfl beveled gear wheelswithin the gear case on the outer end :ofthe arm in mesh with-751:23()

through said upright, a gear case member at the top1 of the upright, asecond gear case member inged to the first and capable of swingingupwardly in a direction away from the pan, said gearcase members hav#ing their sides inclined along lines extending downwardly and toward thecenter of the pan, the meeting edges of said gear case members beingprovided with coacting ribs and grooves to prevent lateral movement ofthe gear case member, a tubular arm fixed in position relative to thesecond gear case member, a gear case formed on the outer end of said armin position above the center of the pan, a shaft in said arm, beveledgear wheels on said shafts in mesh with each other when the armis in asubstantially horizontal position and out of mesh with each other whenthe arm is elevated, a stirrer shaft mounted in the gear case attheouter end of the arm, a stirrer thereon ARTHUR DANISON i Witnesses:

MARY WALLACE, ELIZABETH SKAHILL.

